FREE ESSAY ON THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED

In the story 'Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" in The 
Things they Carried by Tim O' Brian Mary Ann Bell goes from 
one end of the spectrum to the other. Mary Ann is brought in by 
her high school sweetheart, Mark Fossie. They are destined to be 
married and live out the rest of their lives together. In a matter of 
weeks she is transformed from a cute, blonde high school girl to a 
ferocious animal of the jungle.
Mark Fossie first toys with the idea of bringing her over from 
Cleveland and then goes through with it. "Listen, the guy sends her 
the money. Flies her over. This cute blonde- just a kid, just barely 
out of high school- she shows up with a suitcase and one of those 
plastic cosmetic bags. Comes right out to the boonies (pg.102)." 
She is very young, at most seventeen years old. She is pretty and 
has a great personality that all the guys appreciate. She is never 
afraid of the unseen horrors of the war. She thirsts for knowledge 
about everything around her.
Mary Ann wants to know about everything and her desire for 
knowledge leads her to the loners of the war, the green berets. She 
starts by just going out on ambush with them then it progresses 
more. "The way she quickly fell into the habits of the bush. No 
cosmetics, no fingernail filing, cut her hair short and wrapped it in 
a dark green bandana (pg.109)." She breaks it off with Mark Fossie 
and doesn't want to leave the bush. She does stuff even the 
greenies wouldn't do. She stays with them until she eventually 
disapears.
The greenies say she's still alive but they've never really 
seen her again. She was one with the jungle. She was young and 
innocent then became a ferocious hunter of the jungle. "She was 
dangerous. She was ready for the kill (pg.125)."